TIRANA, Aug. 3 – Albania’s opposition Democratic Party leader Lulzim Basha has called for a caretaker government to guide the country through free and fair early elections, in a proposal which until a couple of weeks ago was also backed by senior figures in the ruling Socialist Party-led coalition, which after frictions in the justice reform talks seems willing to conclude its four-year mandate.
Basha’s appeal comes almost one year ahead of the next scheduled mid-2017 general elections and soon after the country’s political leaders struggled to reach a last minute-deal and vote in full consensus on July 21 a long-awaited justice reform that is expected to transform the country’s highly perceived corrupt judiciary and pave the way for the country’s EU accession talks.
“A caretaker government is a condition that cannot be undone for holding free and fair elections in Albania. Free and fair elections are at risk of government corruption, organized crime and drug trafficking,” Basha said Tuesday, raising the prospect of all political forces and experts contributing to guarantee free and fair elections.
“We are also facing another battle of free and fair elections. I expect the assistance of the United States and the European Union for this battle which we will win as we did with decriminalization and the justice reform,” Basha recently told VoA in the local Albanian service.
Reacting to Basha’s proposal for a transitional government, Prime Minister Edi Rama dismissed the scenario and used irony, doubting his ability to impose conditions even within his Democratic Party.
“We have a four-year contract with Albanians. There is no article in the contract that says that the government should babysit Mr. Basha. Lulzim must grow up. He must learn how to lead without a babysitter!” Rama said.
The idea of a caretaker government seemed provocative among media and political circles until Speaker of Parliament and junior coalition ally Ilir Meta used the early elections card to push the Socialist Party towards consensus on the justice reform.
On July 21st as members of parliament were called to vote for the draft constitutional amendments of the justice reform, Meta threatened to resign and withdraw his ministers if the reform was not approved with consensus. In addition, he suggested a new technocratic government after the approval of the reform which would lead the country to ‘democratic free and fair elections.’
Nevertheless, much seems to have changed since the July 21 historic unanimous vote.
On Tuesday, Parliament Speaker Ilir Meta dismissed his own proposal of creating a caretaker government, now that the justice reform has been approved by 140 votes. “I have spoken about a caretaker government that would guarantee the climate of faith to approve the reform. The opposition was concerned about the government’s use of its executive powers to influence the reform. But that is over now. The reform was approved with consensus. A technocratic government mentioned by Mr. Basha is completely something else. Our commitment for free and fair elections will be at a maximum level so that all citizens can rest assured that their vote will be free and fair,” Meta said.
The call for free and fair elections comes at a time when politicians are expected to launch new fresh talks about the electoral reform that will be assisted by U.S. and EU experts.
Earlier in June, the opposition Democrats attempted to link the electoral reform with the approval of justice reform. Lulzim Basha made it clear that the justice reform would not pass if the ruling majority did not provide guarantees for the approval of the electoral reform.
“Corruption in the justice sector is not only a result or product of political corruption, and that is why I hope that along with justice reform, the parliament also approves our two other proposals for electronic voting and electronic counting. On this issue, both the Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament have agreed in principle. We are working with experts on the draft and if there is an accord on the justice reform I expect all parties to pass this very important amendment which can put an end to the shameful process of vote rigging, manipulation of counting process and give Albanians the democracy they deserve by allowing them to cast a vote that has not been influenced by crime or manipulated in contested counting processes,” Basha said in a meeting with parliament speaker Ilir Meta earlier in mid-June.
At that time, the Democrats also submitted a platform for the application of a biometric voting system and electronic ballot counting in the new general elections. However, the ad hoc parliamentary committee on the electoral reform has been unable to meet due to extensive negotiations regarding justice reform.
Although the Democrats are accusing the left wing of “getting ready to rig and destroy the elections,” the Socialist Movement for Integration and the Socialist Party have made it clear that they are willing to cooperate closely with the OSCE-ODHIR for the electoral reform and meet the best standards for the next year’s parliamentary elections.
